The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

I'll start by saying I'm level 41, but most of his attacks kill me in one hit. -__- Is Miraak at a fixed level higher than mine, or does he level with the player?

On a second note, I've tried using every means at my disposal to give me an edge... Spectral assassin and thralls to tank, Highborn and Vampire Lord abilities, but nothing gives me a good advantage. Does he have any special weaknesses I may be missing?

If you are a Highborn-assuming you are an altmer. Miraak isn't too much of a challenge if you taken good magic resistance/ smithed armor into consideration. Attack with range abilities if you cannot withstand his melee too well. Heal yourself with a good restoration spell if you have those while in battle and use any of the stones abilities from the main storyline- the Werebear summon can help extremely well in this fight as it has the power ability to slug and push enemies around a bit if I not mistaken. gl.

I don't remember how I defeated him, but my usual combat style is ranged archery with a powerful enchanted bow (I have 3 to choose from); melee with the Elven Greatsword of Flames if that fails. In all of Apocrypha, I used about 300 arrows. I don't remember how many I used on Miraak.

I'm not sure how much it may help, but ‘Journal > System > Gameplay > Difficulty’ set to ‘Novice’ might help. Getting killed in Apocrypha can be frustrating.

When I am usualy get to him I have overpowered weapons and such that would one shot him breaking the fight so I ended up punching the guy to death or use conjuction spells ie summons and bound weapons.

this part of the Dragonborn D.L.C. can be very buggie. use lower damage unenchanted weapons on Miraak. when you are fighting him and you are taking his health away from him, he will turn away from you and whirlwind away from you, DO NOT CHASE HIM, this part of the fight is scripted to happen three times where he whirlwinds away from you-shows up in the middle-kills a dragon to capture its soul and regain full health again, then he will come after you again. this will happen 3 times. wait for Miraak to come after you, and wait for Miraak to finish his little speech when you first meet him

I actually just beat him, I guess it was so difficult for me because I had no health potions whatsoever, but tons of magicka potions... I ended up blasting him apart with spells while Lucien LaChance and conjured wrathmen kept him busy.

I had my character pull out an iron dagger I looted from a bandit and just stabbed Miraak over and over and over and over and over. For about an hour.

Why?

Because when I tried beating on him with my usual weapons, the encounter basically hung at then end when he finally ran out of hit points because my character hit too hard and messed up the script that handles the climax and resolution of the fight. He wasn't able to hurt my character, she had maxed out armor and stupid-fast health regeneration.

I used Bend Will to ride the dragons in that room and attack him. By the time he killed them all he was low on health so I stuck a sword in his face and he was done for (I'm playing a dual wielding weapon master).